Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Dad time

About a week ago, I found a very funny story online about a lady's grocery shopping experience when she had to take her 6 kids with her. Clearly, I felt a few similarities with her story and trips I have taken. Laughing, I forwarded it to Dave. Although I can't remember the exact quote, Dave laughed and said something about how it sounded familiar because of stories I have told. Come again? Yes, you read it right. Dave has really never experienced the joys of grocery shopping with 5 kids.

Naturally, I feel that it is my obligation to help him expand his horizons and treasure all aspects of parenting, so I quickly (and before he could realize he had been blindsided) challenged him to full grocery shopping with all of the kids. Being a man and needing to prove how capable he is, he accepted. Today, we have all 5 kids home at the same time and a 2 hour window in which they can go. In fact, I just shipped them off. It's been less than 5 minutes, so my phone isn't ringing yet.

I couldn't be happier. I get alone time (twice in one month? Can it be so?!?!?), I'm not out in 110 degree weather listening to my kids whine about how thirsty they are, I'm not doing the dreaded grocery shopping, and he gets a little taste of my reality. What's not to love? Oh yeah, the grocery bill when he says yes to things they beg for, just to shut them up. I can live with that!

4 comments:

Emmy said...

We need need need an update on this, please.

frizzlefry said...

Dave came home from shopping with the kids and was completely quiet. I waited about an hour and asked how it went. He said he couldn't answer me because if it went well, I would make him do it all of the time, and if it was a disaster, I would laugh (which of course I did anyway, just from the pleasure of getting out of grocery shopping). I think they were all reasonably behaved for him, and he got some of what was on the list. He has a much greater respect for the constant chatter I endure. All is good. BUT, he has not yet shared any entertaining stories. He might still be licking his wounds! :)

Dave said...

Hey, I got EVERYTHING on the list, including at least a few items towards the "everything else we need" category. AND I stuck to the budget.

Mom said...

donnai1clThe kids didn't whine (did they? Someone isn't saying), the grocery shopping is done, Dad got kid time, kids got Dad time, Mom got down time, what's not to love? And if the extra groceries are less than a weekly shrink, looks like a win-win to me. I think its a plan for every week, right? 0: